Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1887-07-07

| gance in living and taste for high play.
Hence the two gentlemen were very good
! friends.
| Accordingly on the following Tuesday
the pair started together for Townley
court, and Mr.. Bengo naturally beguiled
the journey by asking questions of Mr..
| Bilsom respecting his host and the
Townley family in general.
"Rather tyrant in his own house, the
old man." responded Mr.. Bilsom, "but
very fond of Jack fancy. Lady t
is a colorless sort of woman, but the
! two girls are really uice looking and very
lively"
How do Jack and his father get on to-
gethertn inquired Mr.. Benge.
"First rate except where money mat
ters are concerned; but Jack funks him
too much. The old man would always
pay when it came to pinch. Jacks an
only son you know, and it's an old family
Why, once when l was there, Jack got a.
fall out hunting and broke his collar bone,
you never saw such duece of fuss as
Sir John made"
"Ahw said Mr.. Bengo, and he relapsed
into silence.
The first evening at Townley court was
rather trying ordeal for Mr.. Bengo. He
was quite sharp enough to see that Sir
John, though deliberately polite, looked
upon him as more or less of an inter
loper, and the rest of the family took
| their cue from The head of the house.
But Mr.. Bengo was not so easily cast
down. He contrived to appease the
baronet by talking politics of the ultra
tory order, he made himself unobtrusively
entertaining at dinner, and he ingratiat-
ed himself with the ladies by his per-
Torrance on the piano; for among his
other accom- plishments Mr.. Bengo was
no mean musician. Upon the whole,
therefore, ne made distinctly favorable
impression, and Jack warmly congratu-
lated hien upon his success before retir-
ing for the night.
"By the way old, man." said Mr.. Town
ley, On leaving his friends room, "what-
ever you do, don't shoot wild tomorrow.
The governors nervous as q cat, and I've
known him to turn q man out of the
house simply for pointing his gun down
line"
Right you are" replied Mr.. Bengo,
I'll be careful"
And the next day he wes as good as his
WORD There were eight guns, game was
plentiful, and the covers thick, bat moth
ing could exceed Mr. Bengo's caution.
Frequently he refraiRed from taking an
easy shot because CT the danger of pep
pering stop gun, and his prudence
coupled with the fact that he shot fairly
we'll, elected commendation even from
the crusty old baronet himself. Mr..
Bilsom, on the contrary, was not so fortu-
Sc l. =. faxu
stray pellets FROM his gun glanced off
tree in dangerous proximity to Jack
Townships head, and Sir John waved fur
ious at once.
"Confound you, sir!" he calculated.
DO you want to kill somebody? Why
don't you look where you are shootings"
1T wasn't nay fault, Sir john" plead
ed the excited doctor; lit was only rich
ochet,"
"Richochet be hanged" growled has
irdte host. What do you want to go
firing at a tree fort"
And the argument grew so warm that
Bilsom vowed to Jack that he was not
going to stay to be iusulted, and would
return to town the next day.
Don't be an ass, Tom" demonstrated
Mr.. Townley. THE governor doesn't
mean anything. It's only his way"
mighty unpleasant way" grumbled the
doctor. what do you think about it,
BengoPn
"Well, Sir John is not exactly model
of amiability," responded that worthy
who did not seem very anxious to smooth
matters over
Certainly not" said Bilsom, as Jack
left them 'I've good mind to have
shot at that old curmu3geon-it would
serve hina right"
That same night Mr.. Bengo contrived
that aek and he should be left In the bill
lard room together after the other men
had retired and, after little skirmish-
ing, he asked his debtor point blank what
he meant to do in the matter of the
$1,000 j ack had consoled himself some
what freely with his fathers port, and
his ideas were confused.
What ON earth do you suppose ! can
do?" he replied. II daren't, for my soul
ask the old man for it."
"Weli; if you won't must, that's all"
replied Mr.. Bengo, with determination.
For my sake, don't" pleaded the un
fortunate MIR. Townley. ut will be all
right, old felow-all right in time"
CT dare say, my boy; but, honor bright,
| am hard ap, so he must know about it
soon"
lyon wouldn't serve a pal such trick,
Bengo; you surely wouldn't" And Jack
looked the picture of c1audlin misery.
"Well, as a matter of fact, there is an
other way" replied Mr.. Bengo; "but you
may not like it."
Anything is better than that" said
Townley, Frightening up little. "Tell
me what it is.
Its the only thing | can think of, and
you won't be N UGH the worse said Mr..
Bengo.
Come man out with IT." replied Jack,
vigorously.
And in response TO the invitation, Mr..
Bengo drew nearer to his friend, and CON
fiGed to him a scheme.
That's all very fipe,' said Jack rue
fully; "but it strikes as BENG precious
deal better for you than for me. Sup
pose it doesn't come of, tooY"
Nonsense, it must come off. / get
paid, you annex couple of thousand
ready, and are received into the bosom
of your family, like the repentant pro5i-
GAL"
'But how about doetor?"